Avoid Pollution For Cleaner And Greener Earth

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated fervently every year in various parts of the country, especially Maharashtra. The festival marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha and lasts for 10 days. Grand processions leading to large water bodies are how Ganesha idols are bid farewell.

The cause for worry for several years has been the amount of pollution both, land and water that’s caused during and on the day, the festival ends. Huge amounts of waste is generated from the 10-day long festival. From flowers, fruits, incense sticks stuffed in polyethylene bags, idols made of Plaster of Paris that are toxic for under-water ecology, all go straight into local water bodies.

Since Plaster of Paris is not made of naturally occurring substances and is actually calcium sulfate hemi hydrate or (CaSO4, ½ H2O). It can take somewhere from several months to years for an idol made of PoP to completely dissolve in water.

To add to the problem, the idols are often decorated with paints heavy on lead and mercury which once immersed adds to the ongoing process of destroying the flora and fauna of the water body.

Effects of Ganapati or Ganesh Festival on Environment.

Air Pollution during Ganapati Festival During this festival, fireworks and crackers are used in abundance by the devotees for expressing their happiness. This leads to Air pollution, as harmful gases and toxic substances like Barium, Cadmium, Sodium, Mercury, Nitrate and Nitrite are released into atmosphere.

Also, respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) level goes high in this season as small particles are released into the environment by these firecrackers.

Water Pollution during Ganapati Visarjan.

In recent years, we have seen increased awareness about water pollution caused by visarjan i.e. immersion of Ganesh Idols in lakes, rivers and Sea which are made out of Plaster of Paris (PoP) . It takes several months to totally dissolve Ganesh Idols made up of PoP into water. Water becomes turbid.

Also, colors used in decoration of idols contain harmful cancerous chemicals such as mercury, lead which leak into water as idol dissolves. It increases acid content, Total Dissolved solids (TDS) and Heavy metals in water. It kills aquatic plants and marine life, damaging ecosystem under water.

Noise Pollution during Ganesh Festival Devotees celebrate the prestigious festival with all possible means of loud music like listening to bhajjans, kirtans and songs using massive speakers. On the day of Anant Chaturdashi during processions also loud music is played which exceeds permissible limits .

Various ill effects these excessive noise causes are well documented Solid Waste Generated during Ganapati Festival. Along with Idols several other accessories are used in worship of Ganapati such as, flowers, fruits, coconuts, incents, camphor, cloth, plastic, thermocol. Etc. It is collectively called as Nirmalya.

Every year government spends crores of rupees to clean and dig out tons of garbage from natural water sources such as rivers, lakes etc.Creating Awareness among people. Many measure have been taken by government to bring awareness amongst people to minimize impacts of festivals.

Several NGO, Organizations are working hard to make people realize the ways in which Ganapati Festival can be celebrated without harming our ecosystem and environment.

It is important to celebrate Ganapati festival, but we owe an inheritance of cleaner and greener earth to our future generations and we cannot make Ganapati happy if we destroy his gift i.e. nature.

Let’s make Ganapati and Mother Earth happy by celebrating eco-friendly Ganesh Festival but most importantly not compromising on enthusiasm.

!!Ganapati Bappa Morya!!

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